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Racing Towards the Sixth Extinction 迈向第六次大灭绝

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

As you read this article, hundreds of plants, insects, and animals are disappearing. They are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. Scientists are not unaware of this disaster. According to paleontologist Dr. Richard Leakey’s theory of the Sixth Extinction, around 50,000 species vanish every year, and half of the earth’s species will be extinct over the next 100 years. Dr. Leakey has given a clear warning that if we don’t mend our ways, we might become victims of our own bad habits.

当你在阅读这篇文章时，数以百计的植物、昆虫、动物都在消失中，以可怕的速度灭绝中。科学家并没有忽视这场灾难。古生物学家理查德德德德．利基的第六次大灭绝理论指出：每年约五万种生物消失，约一百年左右，地球上的物种会灭绝一半以上。利基博士清楚警告着，人类若不修正自己的行为，就会自作自受。

Normally, extinction is a natural process as animals or plants failed to adapt to changing conditions. Life on Earth has undergone five major extinctions, all due to natural phenomena. The sixth extinction, however, is being caused by humanity. Human population growth, consumption of resources, pollution, and destruction of natural habitats may be the main causes of this latest extinction.

其实，灭绝是一种自然现象，只要动物或植物无法适应改变的环境，就可能发生。地球上的生物经历了五次大灭绝，原因都归咎于人为因素。人口增长、消耗资源、污染、破坏自然栖息地等等，都可能是这次大灭绝的主因。

Human activities are causing the biodiversity loss on Earth, and they do much damage to the balance of ecosystems. For example, the rainforest ecosystems are essential in maintaining the level of oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere. As rainforests shrink, changes in climate will have adverse effects upon life. Without a variety of species maintaining an ecological balance, the final result of the sixth extinction may be the demise of man.

人类活动使地球的生物多样性减少，而且严重破坏生态系统平衡。例如，雨林生态系统对于维持大气层氧浓度相当重要，只要雨林面积缩减，引起气候变化并对生物造成冲击。如果没有生物多样性来维持生态平衡，第六次大灭绝的结果就可能是人类的灭亡。

Vocabulary

单词发音

extinction [ɪkˋstɪŋkʃən] n. 灭绝﹐绝种

extinct [ɪkˋstɪŋkt] adj. 绝种的，灭绝的 no longer existing or living

paleontologist [͵pelɪɑnˋtɑlədʒɪst] n. 古生物学者 the study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, as represented by the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms

phenomenon [fəˋnɑmə͵nɑn] n. 现象(名复: phenomena)

habitat [ˋhæbə͵tæt] n.（动物的）栖息地；（植物的）产地

biodiversity [baɪo͵daɪˋvɝsətɪ] n. 生物多样性

ecosystem [ˋɛko͵sɪstəm] n. 生态系统

shrink [ʃrɪŋk] v. 变小，变少

demise [dɪˋmaɪz] n. 死亡；终止 death

课文讲解

The human appetite for killing wild animals for food and sport has led to the decimation of thousands of species. The Pyrenean ibex and Miss Waldron’s red colobus monkey, both of which died out in 2000, are two recent examples of animals wiped out by man. In addition, governments around the world have acknowledged that many of the ocean’s fish stocks are near depletion.

人类受欲望驱使而杀害野生动物或以此为乐，导致许多物种逐渐死亡。最新一批在2000年宣告灭绝的物种为庇里牛斯山羊和瓦卓氏红猴，都是人类导致灭亡的。再者，世界各国也了解到渔获量已逐年递减至接近枯竭的地步。

Human also intentionally and unintentionally introduce new species of plants and animals to environments they were never meant for. The results can be devastating. For example, the introduction of the voracious snakehead fish from China has disrupted ecosystems in many American lakes and rivers. The U.S. government has classified hundreds of “invasive” species that are wreaking havoc across the country.

人类有意或无意将非属于当地的新物种引入该环境。这样产生的后果可能具毁灭性！例如，从中国引入贪婪的蛇头鱼到美国，已经严重破坏美国湖泊、河流的生态系统。美国政府发现有数百种「侵入物种」在美国各地肆虐。

Is humanity on a collision course with extinction? The unfortunate truth is that most scientists believe this is the case. Nature’s ability to purify air and water has been seriously damaged. Vital medications, even the cure for cancer, could be lost forever if certain plants and animals disappear.

这次的灭绝对人类有冲击吗？不幸的是，大多数科学家都认为「会」。大自然净化空气、水的能力已经被严重毁损了。如果某些植物或动物灭绝，救命的用药（甚至癌症的药）有可能随着物种的消失而永远消逝。

Scientists have documented the destruction of thousands of plants and animals, the vast majority due to human encroachment. It is only a matter of time before the earth’s ecosystem will be unable to sustain humanity’s extravagant lifestyle. The sixth extinction may be already coming to its tragic condition.

科学家已经将数千种不幸灭绝的动物或植物详细记录下来，灭亡的主因仍归咎于人类的迫害。这只是时间早晚的问题罢了，地球的生态系统将不再有能力负荷人类予取予求的生活型态。第六次大灭绝的悲剧性脚步声已响起。

－by Roberto Azula

Vocabulary

单词发音

sport [sport] n. 娱乐，消遣

decimation [͵dɛsəˋmeʃən] n. 大量毁灭 destroying or killing a large part of the population

Pyrenean [͵pɪrəˋniən] adj. 庇里牛斯山的

ibex [ˋaɪbɛks] n. 阿尔卑斯山的野山羊

colobus（非洲产）疣猴，髯猴

wipe out 消灭, 彻底摧毁 destroy; get rid of

depletion [dɪˋpliʃən] n. 消耗；用尽 the use or consumption of a resource, especially a natural resource, faster than it is replenished

mean for 预定作某种用途 to imply something important for someone or something; to be important or meaningful for someone or something

voracious [voˋreʃəs] adj. 狼吞虎咽的；贪婪的 craving or consuming large quantities of food

disrupt [dɪsˋrʌpt] v. 使混乱 to interrupt or impede the progress, movement, or procedure of

wreak [rik] havoc[ˋhævək] 造成严重破坏 to cause a lot of trouble or damage

collision [kəˋlɪʒən] n. 碰撞；相撞

encroachment [ɪnˋkrotʃmənt] n. 侵入，侵占 any entry into an area not previously occupied

extravagant [ɪkˋstrævəgənt] adj. 放肆的；过度的，过分的